Monday, September 10, 2012

Scania YETD 2012 With My Own Eyes

It is not a big secret that 99% posts on this blog are actually written by SCS Software's CEO Pavel Sebor. For this post, let me now switch into first person account [click] rather than keeping the corporate "we" line that I have been always using. (Yes indeed, we don't have a dedicated marketing department, we really are a small team trying to punch above our weight.)

This post is not going to be about ETS2, if you are desperate for the news about this game, please save your comment vitriol for some other day. You could be asking why lose time here when SCS should be fully concentrating on getting Euro Truck 2 out of the door. Well, we need to work on our relationships with truck manufacturers all the time to establish, maintain and improve them. Licensing brands officially is definitely not something akin to walking into a store, putting a "brand" into the shopping cart and going towards the check out line. It's always a very individual process, requiring identifying and getting in touch with the right human in the huge company machinery. Sometimes, we don't even get our chance to start with the proverbial 30-second elevator pitch, but other times we do make some traction, and we can't afford to ever let go. In this particular case, the cooperation is really going strong fortunately.

I was always curious to see the Young European Truck Driver finals in Sweden. We spent a lot of effort on Scania Truck Driving Simulator, and I thought that it would be great to witness the event that was the blueprint for one of the key features of the game. I am happy to report that I was lucky to see it, actually I turned this opportunity into a deeply personal test of what kind of impression real trucks can make on very young computer game players. ;-)

Scania is holding an open day event alongside the YETD finals in their factory, and it's really a massive event. Thousands of visitors were expected, and as the weather was very favorable, you can tell from the pictures above that the crowds pouring in were indeed big.

We started the day by taking a tour through the floor of the chassis production factory and checking out some nicely styled pimped up trucks parked along the way to the competition area.

As planned, our Scandinavian publishing partner Wendros had a row of ten computers with large LCD screens and steering wheels lined up under the roof next to the factory hall, and the seats in front of the monitors were constantly occupied right from the start of the event. It wasn't so packed when we first passed by, but later in the day usually each computer would have a little line of people, kids as well as adults, waiting to be the next to play. It was really heart-warming to see such interest in the game.

Visiting the Scania Shop tent felt good too - boxes of Scania Truck Driving Simulator were very visibly on offer among all the other merchandise and in high demand from what I could see.

Further along the way towards the competition grounds, we have admired even more spectacular trucks presented by Swempa.

Finally after some popcorn, games, and quality time spent crawling through the cabins of trucks parked in the open for kids to explore, we reached the competition grounds. I couldn't shake the feeling that I have seen this all before, many times, on my computer screen in the office. This was my final realization that the Scania TDS art & design team at SCS Software truly did a great job portraying the competition so realistically.

I am no expert in photography or movie making, but I did my best recording the very finals of the competition from our seats among the cheering audience. The video is a bit shaky and the perspective not so great, surely Scania will eventually release a much better cut recorded and edited by their professional team. But I still hope that this "personal perspective" may be interesting for some of you, the atmosphere is definitely there to experience.

The final Super Z discipline turned out the be very dramatic until the very end. Congratulations to Gabriel Warde from Ireland for winning the Grand Prize!

PS: On a related topic - we are ready to release a new patch of Scania TDS, but we are stuck on quite a few languages not having the new texts translated on GetLocalization. Can you help?

DON’T add “side skirts” to 6x2 & 6x4 as anything other than a cosmetic “option” IF you are going to rather than anything compulsory, as “side skirts” definitely don’t fit the bill for most real life 6x4 tractor units in service and are still not that common even on 6x2 mid-lift/twin steer!

You don’t agree, that is your right, but the facts are MOST real life 6x4 & 6x2 tractor units don’t have “side skirts” as they are impractical, as for opinions of being “ugly” without, again that is just “your” opinion, “my” opinion is they don’t.

That I why I stressed the need for them to be purely a “cosmetic option” (something you would buy as an option) as opposed to being something that was “compulsory” (something fitted by default) if they were going to be done for 6x4 & 6x2 tractor units, so even though myself I don’t like the thought of them vs. real life I still accounted for people like you who do.

ye indeed pavel, as you say, many people don't realize this a blog about everything, and not just ETS 2 news, and for that, i'm afraid people still wont understand, so there's gonna be a " release date RAGE again"

SCS, Thanks for the news, the event is really lovely. If the world does not end or if I do not die, depending on my financial condition, I want to visit Europe in the future. If I'm lucky, I also want to visit the SCS Software.Greetings!

Nice Pavel to see you went there with your kids, who are so adorable btw !

Things like these give the small team behing scs some 'face' and when you see real people working on the game with their family to help and support them, the first thing u think is: How can people pirate such a game, where they have spent so much effort for giving us the things we want.

Anyway Pavel, I hope you had a nice time there in Sweden and I hope your kids enjoyed it all as well.

I hope everyone here is going to BUY ETS2 from the official SCS or ETS2 site!

Ps: Pavel, your journalistic skills are really great man, you could go and write in some major magazines like that if you want.

I like to read every post, related or not related to ETS2. And lots of people here are truck fans in general, not only gamers. We're interested in stuff like this. So thanks to Pavel for coverage on YETD finals. And as was written in post, save you comment vitriol for some other day... preferably for never.

Funny how SCS want as much publicity for ETS2 to try and get it on Steam. But they do not want any comment about it on here. It reminds me of the Faulty Towers sketch (English TV Comedy written by and staring John Cleese for those who have never heard of it) In that sketch he was not to mention the War. On here you are not to mention ETS2.

Yeah, exactly. It's nonsense to want it in initial release. It could be additional content. I would LOVE to see some buses, utility trucks, emergency vehicles or even motorcycles on ETS2 roads. But it can wait, definetely.

That's true. I like one huge UKTS mod where, apart from other things, buses and police cars with functional beacons appears. I think it's made by Sparky, though I'm not sure. Still I would prefer models made directly for game, not those converted from older games, 'cos they usually don't fit too much with the rest of game.

Nice to see you having a good time. Maybe now after even more promotion of STDS, ETS2 can be released ? Personally I think you have flogged this game enough and if people have not brought it now, the chances are they never will. ETS2 is not going to increase or decrease the sales of STDS, so why hold the release of ETS2 any longer ? Please do not try to fool us with more bull about bugs. More beta videos have been released over the past few days and it looks ok to me. Time to release now, no more taking the mick. Enough is enough.

Sir, you are a Jackass.With the hard work SCS has put into ETS2, You'd think people would be a little more appreciative of the hard work game developers put into their art, but you sir have proven that wrong.

he can't cause he has no brain nor patience, and the shithead didn't even read the post by Pavel, wich clearly states, THAT THIS IS SCS SOFTWARE BLOG! NOT ETS 2 and if you have read the post, you would have quickly found out, how important this event was for ScS, " but noooooo i want to raaage about the release date" like delaying a game, isn't known in gaming industry, it's all about patience so please learn it. Excuse my anger buy You sir asked for it, so there u go enjoy it, and you know what? ENOUGH is ENOUGH about the bloody release date, it will not make it come any faster, get it in your head for once.

Trust me, this game is not OK for you as it is now.There is still bugs to fix. We find around 5 to 15 each day and even though that SCS if fast to fix them, there is still some. You don't see the bugs in the latest video's while I do not upload any video with bugs in it.And if you start to use these video's against SCS, then these video's will stop.

I agree with Anonymous above me -- indeed, I do not upload videos with bugs in them either, it would serve no purpose.

Enough is when there are no bugs we run into that ruins the players enjoyment, no one would be happy then. Sure, some bugs will probably slip through any way, being a huge game and all, but we do our best.

I am astonished that there is so many angry people in here that act like this game is the most important thing in the world, dont you have anything else to do???? Get outside once in a while, fresh air helps you with the anger, anger towards SCS in this blog does nothing for nobody..

Bugs can be polished up to the end of time, they have been there and will, unnecessarily adding to the game is something new, the output is always obtained which is not interfacing to be correct at the expense of what is. I would place the developers divided the reports of bugs fixed-term (global if you want), which in some way affect the gameplay, and non-urgent (second order of importance) that affect only a certain part of the game. If you do so, the release of the game would have already taken place, and you would have a low speed doing small things. But as they say, "your brain is not getting up"

One way or another, but the bugs will be revealed when the game goes into mass use, not from 5 - 10 testers!

Given the way Pavel speaks, what makes you think this isn't already how it's done? Did he sound like a retard to you?

I'm sure the delays are cause by the fact that beta testers are still finding MAJOR bugs. I'm also sure that SCS wants ETS2 out as soon as humanly possible, this is how they make money after all, not by angering people with the patience of a chiwawa.

Releasing with major bugs will just hurt them, judging by your and many other's attitude. You'd just vocally accuse them of not testing the game properly and releasing non working garbage.

As someone on these blogs so eloquently said, "You can't let them win, can you?"

+1 and million times +1 for you Ziland. However, even if you explain it more then million times, there still will be software developing experts with knowledge of best business strategy ever. Obviously they releasing more games every year then SCS in entire company's history.

I watched a beta test and there is no significant error, for which the time you pull the game's release. Just disappear over time, acquiring a desire and interest in the game will be on anything else)))=

I'm now watching videos made by Dirt_Devil and there ARE significant bugs which I really don't want in final game. Just not a half hour ago, I saw a trailer flying through the bridge. Nothing nice, let me tell you. Sometimes there are strange graphical artifact, but it must not be a bug, it could be because of bad encoding on streaming site.

Anyway I'm so glad SCS and betatesters doing what they can. I can easily wait few months, if it will be necessary. Of course I hope it'll be sooner.

I watched ~2.5 hours of beta footage yesterday, and while there were a couple stand out errors like the rear of a trailer hanging ~2m beneath a bridge, trailers sideways stuck through the ground, AI trucks going to fast around tight bends or the channel tunnel crossing only registering a change in time of 1min for the crossing rather than ~35min’s etc, most were minor errors like wrong/inappropriate/backwards road signage for the actual road type i.e. signs indicating left when they should have been indicating right or should have used a more appropriate basic sign.

Take the trailer hanging through the bridge NW of Lille, there was seemingly no effort by the beta taster to stop/look and investigate, but if you review the footage the error started before the bridge (<0:44:30) but after the truck had turned off the motorway (>0:44:21), if the footage is further reviewed, after they (player) pulled out of the services there is a dark gray Renault Magnum coming the opposite way with a tanker trailer sideways with its rear stuck mostly through the road (0:44:09) which had no doubt spawned and had just done the same route as the player entered the world after a “rest” at the services as the trailer that is visually seen ~22sec later hanging through the bridge, if the footage is looked at more the error happens >0:44:28 <0:44:29 as the truck rounds the top road junction very fast without slowing/stopping at/for the “give way” point.

When I worked in the game industry, having fun playing came second to documenting and trying to reproduce and understand why an error happed, though granted I had been paid and was thumb twiddling after 3d work had been done, which makes it somewhat different, but never the less coming upon an error there should still be some onus to look/investigate/reproduce/understand why.

Its a pitty that they arent looking for experienced beta testers. I have all the time in the world and I was a beta tester for Aeria games on Project torque for two years until they shut down the game.

I usually end up starting to film my videos a few times over until I get lucky and get no bug, but I also use these drives to actually find bugs, so I get two things done at once (all right, trip usually ends up done more than once, if not all the way). (c:

Sometimes it even are bugs that actually halts the journey, but I doubt anyone would want to watch that, really. .c:

I also tend to do my videos on what I have set aside my spare time, so I don't work 24/7. (c; Still, encountering bugs (esp. unreported) takes precedence.

Mind you, first time I ever beta test anything, so I am learning still!

Let SCS people do their jobs. Stop asking release date. I completely understand them and I and you guys sure dont want potencially great game to be ruined with bunch of stupid bugs. Sorry if my english was bad.

Look at what happened with Battlefield 3. Major bugs in that when released, and after I had bought it, I gave up. There was no point in playing.

SCS, as many people (and probably Pavel himself) have said, want to release this game as bug free as possible (OK, it will never have 0 bugs, but they have a reputation to protect). As much as I despise you for teasing me so much with this game (and therefore making me want it more), I am willing to wait to see a mostly bug free game :)

But there is 1 thing that really bothers me: gauges are not working like on real truck. I dont ask to do it now when the game needs to be released, but I would like to see it in the 1st patch for the game. If it is possible of course. And I would like to get some answer from someone who develop this game, about this, I mean, is it possible or not? I dont want to hope if it is not possible, I like clear situations.:) Cheers

Darko, if you're basing that on STDS then you have to remember that game was just a taste of things to come. In GTS the gauges worked fine, so I fully expect them to work at least as good in ETS2.

Actually the only gauge that's not really working in STDS is the fuel one (no point since you can't refuel anyway). I'd like it if the oil and brake ones worked in ETS2 though, but I wont hold it against them if they don't.

I cant even take SCS serious anymore, they said they would give us a update on release soon, altrough no updates. I surely hope they keep to the date they said, cos its really gay if they change it now when it's so close. So pls man up so we could take you serious cos this is just a big joke for me atm..

How hard is it to UNDERSTAND that if SCS could give you all a DATE that could be trusted, they would love to do so. Imagine what would happen if they gave us a date that would show up to be to early for the game to be finish within. Everyone would lynch SCS.

gooday sir, it bloody seems you can't read or your just completly blind, so in that case i'll bloody give you a free hand, enjoy.

"By SCS CEO Mr. Pavel Sebor" "It is not a big secret that 99% posts on this blog are actually written by SCS Software's CEO Pavel Sebor. For this post, let me now switch into first person account [click] rather than keeping the corporate "we" line that I have been always using. (Yes indeed, we don't have a dedicated marketing department, we really are a small team trying to punch above our weight.)

This post is not going to be about ETS2, if you are desperate for the news about this game, please save your comment vitriol for some other day. You could be asking why lose time here when SCS should be fully concentrating on getting Euro Truck 2 out of the door. Well, we need to work on our relationships with truck manufacturers all the time to establish, maintain and improve them. Licensing brands officially is definitely not something akin to walking into a store, putting a "brand" into the shopping cart and going towards the check out line. It's always a very individual process, requiring identifying and getting in touch with the right human in the huge company machinery. Sometimes, we don't even get our chance to start with the proverbial 30-second elevator pitch, but other times we do make some traction, and we can't afford to ever let go. In this particular case, the cooperation is really going strong fortunately.

I was always curious to see the Young European Truck Driver finals in Sweden. We spent a lot of effort on Scania Truck Driving Simulator, and I thought that it would be great to witness the event that was the blueprint for one of the key features of the game. I am happy to report that I was lucky to see it, actually I turned this opportunity into a deeply personal test of what kind of impression real trucks can make on very young computer game players. ;-)"

One of my old Merc trucks had asymmetric shaped front mud-flap/mounts which necessitated left & right hand mud flaps/fitment, rather than make left and right hand flaps, they just had Merc on both sides so they could be turned for left/right hand fitment.

So unless it said "ovloV" or "Volvo" was missing from what would be the rear of the flap, it’s not really an issue unless the mud-flaps are symmetrical thus would only need “printing” on one side or if the mud-flaps are of the “spray suppression” type which can ONLY be “printed” or “embossed” on one side.

Too bad it’s not a bug with the bridge but happens at the road junction before the bridge just as the trailer exits it, or didn’t it twig with you that where you put the box you can clearly see the roof as the trailer is lent to the left in bug1y.png, or that you missed the Renault Magnum coming the opposite way some ~22 sec before with the tanker trailer pointing sideways with its rear sunk through the ground after no doubt passing around the same junction as the player spawned into the world after “resting”

Thank you, I was curious how they made Italy. Not that I live there, just curious, it's beautiful country. From videos I saw one can easily say which parts of map are new and which are reworked from previous titles. Those new offers way more realistic feeling.

Thanks, i agree, Italy is a beautiful country. In this months we have a lot of problem with works, taxes etc but i love my country! And SCS made it good! Only one mistake: the cars on the trailer are too new...in Italy there are only trailer with old cars going to Romania :D hahahahaha!Sincerly, if someone is from Romania, can explain me why your dealers buy so much used cars in Italy? Not a critic, of course, just a curiosity ;)

Well used cars from Italy, especially your well-known sport cars, are much cheaper then if you buy them in other European countries. Sometimes even by 50%, you don't have to be Romanian to know it. It is said they're so cheap because of Italian temperament, most of used cars were crashed repaired, well I don't know to what extent is this saying truthful. :-D

I can't wait ETS2 anymore but untill SCS tell us a new relase date, we have to relax and wait. It useless to asking for the date, because SCS listen to our feedbacks but not about this. So we have to relax, enjoy every news (i don't care about YETD but others do) and understand what Pavel say: this is not ETS2's blog, it's SCS's blog.I think that are a lot of bugs to fix because there are a lot of new features in the game. have you notice that there is a phone icon on the navigator? No one have talk about this and other more new features, but so many people complaing and crying for the delay of release.I was angry too for this delay, but after a couple of days it's finish...now i hope that all the fans understand this and stop spamming about annoying thing. I really hope so!

Nah, wasn't instantly repaired, just enough to let you drive but one small accident and you were down again.

How else would you handle this? IMO they did it pretty well, most games out there just don't handle it at all. I've come to call it "unhandled exception". In most games if you die, you have to reload, car games you fail to win, same thing...I see it as laziness from developers. Look at fable 3, you die, you're considered knocked down, you loose some bonus xp but otherwise just get back up and get to keep on playing (one of the few parts this game did right imo).

I have already written to SCS how can be solved the total damage,and I hope that they read it.

Ziland,I understand that's your job at this blog is to defend SCS at any cost,but some things eventually needs a realistic change.Let us not forget that this game has word "simulator" in the name and this raises my expectations when it comes to things like this.

Everything can be "handled" if there is just a little will and creativity.

I will always put myself between a mindless mob and someone that can't/wont defend against it.

You're being unreasonable, SCS is a small team and what they've done with ETS2 is WAYYY above their paygrade, they've put a lot of work and hopes into this project, to bring it to the level of the bigger outfits (that have 10x their manpower at minimum).

Would I prefer a more in-depth simulation focus? You can bet your ass I would. But do I expect SCS to bring it to 'that' level in two iterations? Hell no!

SCS!You have to remind me yoke: Rig N Roll (Rig-3)They just buying time, pulled 9 years, and as a result people have spoiled all the nerves and they Proclus this game.

If you are constantly showing video from the game, so do not tease people and released the first build, and the errors we will find everything in place, all the countries of the world and to correct these errors is not significant, it will be in the next patch.======================================================================================================================

I know it was not announced officially here on blog or official site, but on Steam Greenlight ETS2 page there is information it'll be for Windows, Mac and Linux. I suppose fans can't edit this information, so it looks promising...

Move on to other games. Seen enough videos and like waiting disappeared.When a long wait, as a result do not stand up and move to something else, and the expectations and spoil nerves steady, no.I am the voice Steam, took a different game)

psTwo years to make a game on old maps and constantly feed the promises - this mess!

This is not a moaning post I'm just wondering if the brick trailer is available to deliver in deliveries driving. I see many AI trucks hauling these heavy brick trailers but I never find them :) Maybe I haven't driven enough but was just curious.

And, the other trailer I was trying to find is the car trailer - but not just white cars :)

Are these trailers available to players? Really not a problem because there is plenty to deliver but you know how it is , if I see a trailer i want to be able to haul it :D

Guys from SCS! You may be playing a couple of months to fix bugs, we expect it to us? Let go, for what it is, and there is urgent fix bugs affecting the game, and those bugs that do not affect the game osobyuo, patch, update, you do not lose what you have already proven that they wanted. And no one after you just throw the dirt, even if ignre be bugs, they note no pay budzhet playing ignru with beautiful graphics. As they say nothing ventured nothing gained one. So it pays to take a chance and try it, and everything will come out, take my word. Game ETS-2 is expected with great pleasure, so do not be silly, release already, and then wait a month or two have no strength when you look wonderful videos, you just kill us with this, that someone played it, and we do not have access, not honestly.

Really don't have idea what "oshibkoy" means, but this bug is not about textures. Imagine what happens if you were not under bridge, but on the bridge behind that truck. It could collide with your truck and damage cargo you carrying. Bugs affecting gameplay in way like this are a big no-no!

You break the bugs to urgent and nesrochnye.Te that urgent, kotoryevliyayut the game, correct, and the other, later reformed, after the game. And then you're playing at a pace ETS-2 to make another two months. And we do not want to wait. And you do not have nothing to lose, is that the game is buggy. You have to try to release the game with small bugs, no you will not blame you, and so many did. As they say nothing ventured nothing gained.

If you talking about bug we discussed few comments above, I believe it's not the only bug delaying release. And maybe this particular bug is even eliminated right now.

As TruckerGal and others who showing us some videos said, they trying to avoid showing bugs; it's very reasonable move. Anybody who didn't tried beta really can't imagine, in other words have no right to judge the current state of ETS2, amount and seriousness of bugs.

quote:As TruckerGal and others who showing us some videos said, they trying to avoid showing bugs; it's very reasonable move.-----------It broadcasts in writing directly, without deleting, so that the errors are nothing compared to traffic Cator at high speed is in turn, turn.